Please be a Dream
by Doomed-Kelpie
Summary: Arthur awoke with a strange feeling. It was still night time, so the moon shone eerily from behind the curtains. He didn't know how, but he knew that something was terribly wrong... Merlin kills himself, but... It's just a dream, right? (TRIGGER WARNINGS: SUICIDE)


**Please be a Dream**

 _Yay! I suddenly got an idea for a new Merlin oneshot! (Actually, considering that this is dark, should I be saying yay…?)_

 _TRIGGER WARNINGS: SUICIDE_

 _(Probably not…) Well, here you go:_

XXX

Arthur awoke with a strange feeling. It was still night time, so the moon shone eerily from behind the curtains. He didn't know how, but he knew that something was terribly wrong. He threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. The young king rushed out of his chambers and down the corridor, desperately searching for something unknown. As he ran through the castle, Arthur's chest beat faster and faster. Eventually, he started running up the stairs that led to the highest tower in the castle. He flung the door leading outside open and froze. Merlin was standing on the edge of the wall. Arthur wanted to grab him and pull him away to somewhere safe, but he found that he couldn't move. Merlin slowly turned to face him, with tears streaming down his cheeks. Merlin started talking, but Arthur couldn't make out what he was saying. Then, he looked back out into the night sky. Slowly, Merlin inched closer and closer to the edge. Arthur desperately tried to fight whatever was stopping him from saving Merlin, but to no avail. Merlin took one more step… and plummeted to the ground. As shock filled Arthur, the world went black.

XXX

"Arthur, wake up, lazy-daisy!" Merlin yelled as he threw open the curtains.

Light shone brightly into the room. Arthur jolted awake, sweat covering his body.

"MERLIN!" Arthur screamed in relief.

"What? You have to go to a meeting after breakfast, so I can't let you sleep in today," Merlin responded.

"No- I mean- what- why- _You're still here_?" Arthur stuttered in disbelief.

Merlin looked around.

"Oh, yes, I do appear to still be here," Merlin attempted to banter.

"But- last night- what…," Arthur continued to babble.

"Arthur, are you sick or something? Should I get Gaius?" Merlin asked, now thoroughly confused.

"I'm fine, but… God, Merlin, never scare me like that ever again!" Arthur yelled.

"Okay, seriously, what are you talking about?" Merlin questioned.

"Yesterday- jump- wall...," Arthur once again found himself incapable of answering properly.

"I'm getting Gaius…," Merlin said as he started toward the door.

"No! Uh, just forget about all that, okay?" Arthur denied. "So, what was that meeting about, again?"

"… It's to discuss creating a new law about the storage of grain…," Merlin slowly answered back.

"Alright then," Arthur replied.

XXX

Arthur really was trying to focus on the meeting, but he just couldn't. He constantly kept looking at Merlin and thinking about what was most likely a nightmare. The young king had never noticed before, but Merlin looked… so… _tired._ He was slightly slouched over, and there were dark circles under his eyes. His clothes were completely wrinkled. Merlin looked even skinnier than usual, and it seemed as though the wind could knock him over. Although it didn't show on his face, Arthur's heart clenched in worry.

XXX

Throughout the day, Arthur continued to notice that things were slightly off with Merlin. While he kept up their banter like always, his eyes would occasionally turn dull and distant. As soon as Arthur was about to say something, however, the light would return to his eyes. When he thought Arthur wasn't watching, Merlin's shoulders sagged more than before, and his movements slowed. Arthur became increasingly worried that his nightmare would become a reality.

XXX

While Merlin was busy, Arthur went down to Gaius's chambers. When he opened the door, Gaius looked up from his work, eyebrow raised in question.

"Gaius," he said. "I need to talk to you… it's about Merlin…"

"Alright," Gaius replied.

"Well… Yesterday, I had a nightmare. And… Merlin… committed suicide in it… Then, I started to notice that Merlin looked really tired, and that he seems to have lost weight…"

"I'll talk to him, Arthur. He has a lot of worries that he can't tell anyone else, so that's probably what's weighing on his mind. You're right about him being tired and losing weight, though," Gaius said.

XXX

As the weeks passed, Merlin gained weight and looked well-rested. Merlin's eyes shone even brighter than ever. Before long, Arthur was able to push the nightmare to the back of his mind.

XXX

Arthur awoke with a strange feeling. It was still night time, so the moon shone eerily from behind the curtains. He didn't know how, but he knew that something was terribly wrong. He threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. The young king rushed out of his chambers and down the corridor, desperately searching for something unknown. As he ran through the castle, Arthur's chest beat faster and faster. Eventually, he started running up the stairs that led to the highest tower in the castle. He flung the door leading outside open and froze. Merlin was standing on the edge of the wall. Arthur wanted to grab him and pull him away to somewhere safe, but he found that he couldn't move. Merlin slowly turned to face him, with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I can't so this anymore. I can't live a lie," he spoke softly. "I'm sorry I lied to you for so long. I'm… I'm a warlock, Arthur."

Then, he looked back out into the night sky. Slowly, Merlin inched closer and closer to the edge. Arthur desperately tried to fight whatever was stopping him from saving Merlin, but to no avail. Merlin took one more step… and plummeted to the ground. Arthur was then released from the invisible force that bound him. He ran over and looked over the wall. In horror, he saw Merlin's broken body on the ground. Arthur slowly walked backwards until his back met with the other wall. He slid down until he was sitting on the ground, curling his legs beneath his arms.

"No… nonono. NO! This can't be real!" Arthur sobbed. "Please, be a dream! _Please_! Merlin can't be dead… Please… be a dream…"

XXX

 _To anyone who has read my other Merlin stories, you will notice that I am absolutely terrible to Merlin. He's literally one of my favorite characters out of every show I've seen though… And yet, Merlin can't even catch a break in pretty much every Merlin fic I've written (Even my one comedy). Damn._

 _Sorry about ranting about that… Just felt like I had to say it._

 _I hope you liked the story, I guess?_ _HHH_


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